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Hello NC

I currently live in SW PA. However my wife has just taken a position at Duke. So it looks like I am Durham bound. Actually not real sure of the location yet. Thought I might ask around here some. What are some nice areas in and around Durham to relocate to? More importantly where can we hike camp and ride our bikes? Any information you may be able to give would be greatly appreciated. My wife's sister and husband live in Clayton. So I am vaguely familiar with the area close to their house but that is about it.
Thanks in advance

Welcome to NC! Raleigh is a great place to live and Cary is popular too. However- traffic throughout the entire area can be time-consuming during rush-hours. Might want to time your expected commutes before you find a home??

The HF members in the Carolinas are an active bunch and within about 3-4 hours drive you have more trails, parks, and national forest destinations than anyone can visit in a year of weekends. Keep your eyes peeled on the Southeast trip-planning forum and come join us

After you have conquered all the bike trails nearby consider going to Pisgah (near Asheville) cause there is a large and thriving trail-bike community there too.

PM me if you have school-age children. My daughter teaches in the Raleigh system and I may be able to do some recon for you.

- Loki,

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn."
— John Muir

Welcome to NC! Life is good here and you will love it. Particularly the lighter winters. From the Durham area you have hiking, camping, lakes, the beach, the mountains and fellow hangers all close by. Enjoy!

Lots of places to ride (MT Bike, road ect), hike ( of course I recommend the Neusiok Trail) and camp from the Mts to the Sea.

We also have the best BBQ and Seafood.

Now those are the kinds of things I wanted to hear. I spend some time on the Outer Banks in the summer. I know it took me around 3 hours to get from Corolla to Clayton last summer. From the Durham area what would you say are the nicest beaches close by?

Now those are the kinds of things I wanted to hear. I spend some time on the Outer Banks in the summer. I know it took me around 3 hours to get from Corolla to Clayton last summer. From the Durham area what would you say are the nicest beaches close by?

The most family friendly are the Brunswick county beaches - Oak Island, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle, and Sunset Beach. Takes about 3.5 hours to get to them. These are south of Wilmington.

If you like commercialized beaches, Wrightsville, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach are less than 3 hours.

In the middle still about 3.5 hours away is the Crystal coast which includes Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, Morehead City, and the quaint village of Beaufort.

5-6 hours are the Outer Banks, which everyone needs to see at least once in their lives. That's home to Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, where the Wright brothers made their historic first flights. Farther north is Corolla with a nice lighthouse and wild horses. South is home to Hatteras and its famous lighthouse.

Our beaches

As a rule, I tend to avoid the beaches on the mainland simply because they are tourist traps. Ocracoke--the Southernmost settled island--is fantastic, but be forewarned, there is no bridge to the island, so you either take the ferry, an airplane, or swim. Also, the campgrounds feature very few trees.

You might also be interested in Hammock's Beach state park. Don't let the name fool you though; it is impossible to hammock camp there. The campgrounds are on Bear island. Nothing taller or more substantial than dune grass on Bear island.